Kansas records death from rare infection

TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas health officials say a person from the Kansas City area has died of a rare infection caused by an amoeba that lives in freshwater lakes and rivers.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment said Friday it's only the state's second known case of a person contracting primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (meh-NIHN'-goh-en-seh-fah-LY'-tis), or "PAM."

The agency identified the person who died as a resident of Johnson County but did not give other details. Officials said the person had been exposed to several bodies of fresh water in Kansas.

PAM is typically contracted when the amoeba enters the nose of someone diving or swimming underwater and travels to the brain.

The infection is not contagious among people. It cannot be contracted from a properly maintained swimming pool.